


The Post-Orphean Era

by DanceWithMeForScience



Series: Space Archaeologists [2]
Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Ficlet, M/M, Space Archaeologists AU, Space Archaeology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 20:28:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18598825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanceWithMeForScience/pseuds/DanceWithMeForScience
Summary: Paul and Hugh discuss their future. A coda to my space archaeology AU story, Field Methods in Orphean Archaeology.





	The Post-Orphean Era

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written as a 2018 fic gift for @thewatch.

Hugh almost runs into the restaurant, where Paul is sitting at the bar reading a padd and sipping a glass of wine. “Hey, Paul, I’m so sorry. Faculty meeting went way over time,” he says, sitting down and squeezing Paul’s hand where it rests on the counter.

Paul raises his eyebrows at Hugh. “Again?” Hugh notices how his blue-gray sweater makes his blue eyes stand out and gets shivers all over again. How did he get so lucky to meet Paul?

“We haven’t met in two months and… of course. People had all these announcements, and then we were discussing the first round of graduate applications, and whether to send a team back to Orpheus for the summer…”

“You’re going back?”

“Oh, I don’t know if I am. But the dig’s becoming a very big deal, and… well. I said I’d think about it.”

Paul rolls his eyes. “We spent six months on Orpheus, you’ve been home for two months, I just finally get around to come see you this week, and you could be leaving again?”

“Not before you go back home.”

“I hate being away from you,” Paul says quietly, leaning over to kiss Hugh on the cheek. “I miss you every day.”

Hugh’s cheeks heat up. “I miss you too.” Seeing Paul’s forlorn expression, he adds, “But we’re here together now.”

Paul sighs. “I’m applying for that visiting research position in your department.”

Hugh’s mouth drops open as he stares at Paul. “But I’m on the hiring committee.”

“I guess you’ll have to recuse yourself,” Paul says slyly. “Unless you don’t want me to apply,” he suddenly realizes, face falling.

“Oh no, no, no, Paul. I never thought… you seemed so comfortable in your department and…”

Paul shakes his head. “Never as comfortable as I am with you.”

Hugh smiles, looking off into the distance over Paul’s shoulder for a moment. “But are you going to be comfortable working down the hall from me? I’m going to come ask you a question about Orphean plant foods every five minutes.”

“Well, then, maybe we could co-author a paper,” Paul retorts with a grin.

“Ooooh, things are getting _ser-i-ous_ ,” Hugh teases, but actually, he’d like that too.

“I want us to be serious,” Paul insists, firmly but quietly, bringing Hugh up short. “I don’t want us to be light-years apart forever, or even for the next year. We might have to wait that long regardless, but I’ll never like it. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than with you, even if it is on some lousy desert dig for months at a time.”

“Oh, Paul,” Hugh says softly. “I agree.”

Paul lights up with a smile that always melts Hugh’s heart. “Then I’ll send in the application tomorrow.” He leans in and Hugh meets him for a kiss full of promise for the months and years ahead.


End file.
